Giteau must be in Wallabies World Cup squad

[Brumbies Guy]

Part of his problem is he had the balls to come out and have a dig (well maybe more of a sly jab) at Rocky on National TV.

Call me silly, but something tells me that's not the sort of carry on that will win you friends with ARU management.

I think it may be worryingly that simple.

I'm no Giteau fan, but you can't deny his super 15 form was very good. He should be in consideration for the bench. But we all know Robbie Deans does not pick on form until he is forced to.

Harsh.. Kepu, Simmons, Timani, Samo, Robinson, Higginbotham, McCabe, Fainga'a, etc have all been selected because of their form, not forced inclusions.

 

[What2040]

obviously not a Deans favourite and others have now stood up - whether he would be a great team player is the question that needs to be answered (for me)

 

[Groucho]

Harsh.. Kepu, Simmons, Timani, Samo, Robinson, Higginbotham, McCabe, Fainga'a, etc have all been selected because of their form, not forced inclusions.

Yes, but now they're new favourites and they won't be dropped by Deans until he is forced to.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Giteau is done for mine. At his peak he was a tremendous player, but if we look across the park, does he solve any problems for us?


1, Five-eighth? Proven to be not up to test standard there against good quality opposition, despite many attempts. Too lateral.

2, Inside Centre? Maybe, but Barnes IMHO is a better player and McCabe has done OK. A Finger is also decent there. So we have some backup without needing Gits. If Barnes doesn't come up, Gits will almost certainly be picked for the squad, however.

3, Kicking? Record over the last couple of years isn't that great. The misses against England and Scotland were particularly poor.

 

[Sully]

I keep hearing about his great super form but he ran the backline for the team that came 13th. I would rather Barnes.

 

[Cutter]

The key reason he won't, and, in my opinion, shouldn't, be selected is his influence on the squad. Those in the know perceive him to be, at times, a negative influence and that sort of distraction cannot be tolerated in a World Cup campaign.

I don't know how accurate the perception is, but it doesn't matter. The reason he's lasted so long notwithstanding the perception is that he's been a commanding figure at Super rugby level and, often, able to turn it on at test level. As his powers have waned, the cost/benefit analysis has tipped against him, particularly as other players have stepped up to the mark.

Contrast with Barnes who is regarded as a positive influence despite, arguably, being a less gifted player. Barnes is picked whenever available and, almost, irrespective of form because of this.

I would be very surprised to see Giteau in the squad. I would be very surprised to see Barnes omitted if he is available.

 

[Hardtackle]

IMO Giteau should only be considered as a 12. Barnes, McCabe and Finger are ahead of him these days.

 

[JohnD]

We'll see - the dice have not yet been thrown and when they are, if the right numbers arn't coming up, heads will roll!

 

[Zeno]

Very harsh Zeno. I'm no fan of Gits in todays Wallaby team, but you don't play 90-odd tests without having some clue. His level of competence was once at the very top of the tree and it is a bit unfair to suddenly say he has always been a waste of space just because of his inevitable decline..

I just meant that level is where he's at in 2011, not that he was never any good.

And all I really have to say is playing well in premier club rugby isn't proof alone that someone is in form for Test rugby or the RWC.

 

[mudskipper]

The key reason he won't, and, in my opinion, shouldn't, be selected is his influence on the squad. Those in the know perceive him to be, at times, a negative influence and that sort of distraction cannot be tolerated in a World Cup campaign.

I don't know how accurate the perception is, but it doesn't matter. The reason he's lasted so long notwithstanding the perception is that he's been a commanding figure at Super rugby level and, often, able to turn it on at test level. As his powers have waned, the cost/benefit analysis has tipped against him, particularly as other players have stepped up to the mark.

Contrast with Barnes who is regarded as a positive influence despite, arguably, being a less gifted player. Barnes is picked whenever available and, almost, irrespective of form because of this.

I would be very surprised to see Giteau in the squad. I would be very surprised to see Barnes omitted if he is available.

All hearsay cutter...all trouble making... Giteau isn't a negative force in the Wallabies... I would say Quade Cooper and Beale have proven to be more negative in their behavior during their short time as a Wallabies. Giteau is a worthy inclusion in the 30man squad. He has the nerve to play the ABs where many just fall to pieces as seen in Eden Park recently. Barnes isn’t match fit and is a risk… McCabe offers something different like Fainga'a but neither are play makers.


Deans knows what he will get from Giteau, he doesn't know what he will get from a head injury Barnes, and he doesn't know what he'll get from Quade Cooper each week. Giteau should be available as a second flyhalf and alternative 12 during the world cup, he can also cover scrum half and fullback. There has been some very cynical articles written in the papers this week about Giteau which are very disrespectful considering he is a 92 cap Wallaby. These articels are based on cheap coverage and have been written by also ran Wallabies such as Brendan Cannon... pitiful...

 

[punisher]

I think the formula is simple...if Deans takes 3 no.9s the third is either Phipps or Gits..so which one gives the squad more?

 

[naza]

I think the formula is simple...if Deans takes 3 no.9s the third is either Phipps or Gits..so which one gives the squad more?

Anyone but Giteau. My mathematics cannot be faulted => no Giteau = addition by subtraction.

 

[daz]

All hearsay cutter...all trouble making... Giteau isn't a negative force in the Wallabies... I would say Quade Cooper and Beale have proven to be more negative in their behavior during their short time as a Wallabies. Giteau is a worthy inclusion in the 30man squad. He has the nerve to play the ABs where many just fall to pieces as seen in Eden Park recently. Barnes isn’t match fit and is a risk… McCabe offers something different like Fainga'a but neither are play makers.


Deans knows what he will get from Giteau, he doesn't know what he will get from a head injury Barnes, and he doesn't know what he'll get from Quade Cooper each week. Giteau should be available as a second flyhalf and alternative 12 during the world cup, he can also cover scrum half and fullback. There has been some very cynical articles written in the papers this week about Giteau which are very disrespectful considering he is a 92 cap Wallaby. These articels are based on cheap coverage and have been written by also ran Wallabies such as Brendan Cannon... pitiful...

Don't take it so personally, Mrs Giteau. Your son can stand up for himself.

Now you run along and apologise to Mrs Cannon.

 

[mudskipper]

Don't take it so personally, Mrs Giteau. Your son can stand up for himself.

Now you run along and apologise to Mrs Cannon.

Its not personal, I'll just call him for what he is doing in the media... Canons is being paid to cheapen real Wallaby greats... poor career choice... cheap shot, did notice the article was quickly put to the the back back web pages at the Tele today... Canon is proving to have nothing of any real substance to say in the media... he is just there to represent the western force on foxsports...

 

[daz]

Its not personal, I'll just call him for what he is doing in the media... Canons is being paid to cheapen real Wallaby greats... poor career choice... cheap shot, did notice the article was quickly put to the the back back web pages at the Tele today... Canon is proving to have nothing of any real substance to say in the media... he is just there to represent the western force on foxsports...

Absolute garbage. Canno is not the greatest media whore going around but I'll say this for him; he wore his Wallaby jersey with pride.

Anyway, he is in the media as a subject matter expert and he is expected to have opinions. That is actually what he is being paid for. I have never heard him "cheapen" anyone, great or not; and let's make no bones about it, Gits will never be spoken about in the same breath as Eales, Horan, Slack, Campese, NF-J, Lynagh, etc, etc...

One final thought: Has Canno said anything about Gits that many of us haven't said ourselves ad nauseum on these boards? Hell, we cheapen him for free!

 

[Cutter]

Its not personal, I'll just call him for what he is doing in the media... Canons is being paid to cheapen real Wallaby greats... poor career choice... cheap shot, did notice the article was quickly put to the the back back web pages at the Tele today... Canon is proving to have nothing of any real substance to say in the media... he is just there to represent the western force on foxsports...

Cannon isn't the only source of this view and it's been doing the rounds far longer than his recent article (for years in fact). Do you doubt there is any truth to it?

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

Can someone name a time in recent years where Giteau has played behind a decent pack? I will join the hate club when swayed.

Barnes can have a go next time around. I don't want to take any risks going into the world cup.

 

[mudskipper]

Absolute garbage. Canno is not the greatest media whore going around but I'll say this for him; he wore his Wallaby jersey with pride.

Anyway, he is in the media as a subject matter expert and he is expected to have opinions. That is actually what he is being paid for. I have never heard him "cheapen" anyone, great or not; and let's make no bones about it, Gits will never be spoken about in the same breath as Eales, Horan, Slack, Campese, NF-J, Lynagh, etc, etc...

One final thought: Has Canno said anything about Gits that many of us haven't said ourselves ad nauseum on these boards? Hell, we cheapen him for free!

simple answer is yes... he ran an article just days ago stating there is a feud between Deans and Giteau which is complete bullshit... As for being remembered thats too early however Matt Giteau shouldered the Wallabies for many difficult years leading up to the current squad. And some of those you mentioned would have struggled in the professional era... Most of them were lucky they had a great team around them at the time...

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

As for being remembered thats too early however Matt Giteau shouldered the Wallabies for many difficult years leading up to the current squad.

Quoted for the truth. Give him a decent pack and he will do well.

 

[H...]

The Wallabies don’t have a consistent goal kicker. It’s difficult to specify an example where a player has lost a test. It’s much easier to point to an attacking play such as Cooper when he is at his sublime best in contrast to say a player won a match. Against quality opposition, that’ the exception rather than the rule. Especially in knockout games.

Giteau isn’t the only one who gets deeper into the pocket the more he isn’t given front foot ball – Cooper has demonstrated this. If he’s crabbing, the centre or fullback needs to straighten the attack. It’s not rocket science. In a RWC, his experience would be invaluable.

There's been an excuse for Giteau not being up to the task given him almost every time we've lost a game. The forwards were shit. The ball was wet. The ball was dry. He was rusty, he'll be better next week. He was so good in the Super rugby season! He's coming back from an injury. And so on.

The facts as they appear to me is that he hasn't been a halfway threatening 12 since the demise of the Larkham, and only ever appeared a decent 10 in the ELV mess of 2008.

Even the most passionate fans of his have acknowledged that he's lost whatever it was that he had, so now it's the intangible "experience" factor that he can add.

Problem is, Giteau's "experience" consists of 90-odd tests playing on Wallaby teams that either got dominated, or found new and innovative ways to lose games they should have won. He's used to losing, he's got a cancerous "me first" attitude, and he needs to be as far away from the Wallaby squad as we can get him.

He's done. I don't care if Cooper AND Barnes are ruled out of the tournament, he has no place in the Wallaby camp, for my money.